The major news this week has been about Pete Hegseth and President Trump’s meeting with top generals and admirals from around the globe at Gitmo. Ironically, while the current administration claims to be about cutting costs and government waste, this impromptu pep rally for military leadership is estimated to have cost taxpayers millions of dollars to transport the leaders stateside and house them overnight.
The plan was for Hegseth to “Motivate” leadership and install a different attitude amongst the military command. As an Army brat, I understand the discipline and standards of the military community, but Hegseth’s speech was counterproductive, and many generals and others in the military community have spoken out against his anti-American and un-Christian power speech.
Hegseth’s speech wasn’t a tough love or motivating charge to our top warriors; it wasn’t an anti-American and anti-Christian show of disrespect to men and women who put their lives on the line for our country:
- Arrogant
- Prideful
- Forceful
- Uncompassionate
This administration is notorious for parading and talking down to others in our communities and under their own authority. The president himself is notorious for mocking those in the disabled community.
From the beginning of his second term, the president has openly criticized people of color. He has contributed to and fostered hateful political banter against the very people he swore to protect and defend their rights.
You would think the conservative party would know God hates those who cause conflict/division and haughty eyes as much as He does murder and lies (Proverbs 6:16-19).
What Are Haughty Eyes
Haughty eyes aren’t a term we use much in the 21st century, but we understand what causes them: pride and arrogance. Haughty is defined as “Blatantly and disdainfully proud.” Pride and arrogance are the cause of haughty eyes.
The hard truth is, we have all been guilty of having haughty eyes at some point. Pride can easily blind us to our own sinful ways. Anytime we think we aren’t as bad as someone else or we deserve more, we are looking through haughty eyes, instead of God’s eyes.
That’s why the Bible has a lot to say about haughty eyes, what causes them, and why we should avoid them (Proverbs 21:4, James 4:6, 1 John 2:16). Haughty eyes are the result of our prideful hearts. When pride surfaces, we lose a correct perspective of ourselves and others.
God’s people are called to humble themselves and put others before ourselves, not the opposite, like this fallen world does, and even many of us do in the 21st-century church ( Micah 6:8, James 4:10).
The Bible warns us about being puffed up and thinking too highly of ourselves (Romans 12: 16, 1 Corinthians 4:6; 8:1, Galatians 6:3, Philippians 2:3, 1 Peter 5:5-6). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about haughty eyes and what causes them.
Ayin Rûmôth
The Old Testament tells us how Satan aspired to be greater than God and was thrown out of heaven when God humbled him (Job 1:6-7, Isaiah 14:12-15). The Torah warns us how crafty Satan is and how he deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God so they could be like Him (Genesis 3:1-5).
Knowledge and the pride of this life can puff us up and give us haughty eyes (Proverbs 6:16-19, Isaiah 2:11-12, Obadiah 1:3-4). The Hebrew phrase in the Old Testament for haughty eyes is Ayin Rûmôth, and it literally means high eyes.
It is a result of pride that causes us to look down on others and oppose God Himself. Judaism warns God’s people strongly to avoid haughty eyes because it is one of the seven things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19):
- Haughty eyes
- A lying tongue
- A heart that devises evil
- A false witness against a neighbor
- A person who rushes to do evil
- A person who causes conflict and division
When the Messiah came as Jesus, He came as a humble servant who didn’t extort His Godhood (Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus emphasized servanthood over mastership. He flipped the script on true greatness by championing the least of these (Matthew 25:31-46).
Our Rabbi taught His followers a parable to warn them about looking down on the sins of others (Luke 18:9-14). He also condemned the righteousness of the Pharisees, who thought they were better than other Jews (Matthew 4:8-10, Luke 10:18, John 8:44). He did this to shut down their haughty spirit about their positions in the Kingdom of God.
Government Shutdown
As I write this, the US government is partially shut down for the second day. Economists warn that the shutdown could cost the economy and taxpayers $7 billion. American citizens who pay their taxes are the ones being hurt the most by this shutdown.
Our elected officials are still receiving paychecks while failing to do their job. Those who are responsible aren’t impacted by the fallout of this shutdown they have caused:
- Stress
- Financial burdens
- Fear
One of the most frustrating things about the standoff is the childish back-and-forth blame game politicians are playing with the livelihoods of millions of Americans. Democrats blame the GOP, and the GOP pushes outlandish conspiracy theories.
To make matters worse, the president childishly posted an AI image mocking democratic leadership because he thinks he is right and everyone else is wrong. Then the vice president bragged about how they are just having fun, while millions of Americans are on edge about how they will pay their bills.
Then, later today, the president threatened to fire thousands of federal employees and cut departments that he doesn’t agree with during the shutdown. It should be more clear than ever that politicians are the answer to our nation’s problems.
Both political parties are broken and full of sin, so no one should be looking through Ayin Rûmôth (Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8)!
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